Absorbent article having elasticized side flaps

ABSTRACT

An absorbent article having a liquid permeable topsheet, a liquid impermeable backsheet and a liquid absorbent pad for absorbing a liquid exuded from the human body positioned there between, and having an elasticized side flap along each side edge of the absorbent article. The side flap has a loop member formed from either the topsheet or the backsheet, or an optional secondary non-woven sheet, which extends from and loops back toward said side edge of said absorbent pad, and an inserted member formed from a layer which extends from said side edge of said absorbent pad. An elastic material is affixed along a portion of the length of the inserted member, and a seal affixes the inserted member inside the loop member at its base end. 
     The absorbent sanitary article provides improved fit and leakage protection with better comfort.

This now abandoned is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/208,102,filed on Mar. 8, 1994 now abandoned which is a continuation ofapplication Ser. No. 07/984,071, filed on Nov. 30, 1992, now abandoned.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a novel absorbent article, particularly to asanitary article such as a sanitary napkin or an absorbing sheet. Asused herein, the term "absorbent article" refers to devices which absorband contain body exudates, and, more specifically, refers to deviceswhich are placed against or in proximity to the body of the wearer toabsorb and contain the various exudates discharged from the body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There is required for an absorbent article such as sanitary napkins orpaper diapers a good and comfortable fit to the body, in addition topreventing exudates from leaking.

There has been conventionally proposed, for example, a curved sanitarynapkin in which an elastic material in initial tension is arranged atthe longitudinal edge of the napkin. If a sanitary napkin is formed intoa curved shape by an elastic material, the body fit is enhanced, and animprovement in wearer's feeling of fit as well as the reduction of sideleaking can be achieved. Such sanitary napkins are disclosed in U.S.Pat. Nos. 4,668,230, 4,701,177 and 4,770,657.

In the absorbent articles disclosed in the above-mentioned U.S. Patents,an elastic material is directly or indirectly bonded to the edge of asheet surface which contacts with the body. A seal is provided whichdivides the elastic material arranged at this edge and an absorbent corepositioned at the center. In this conventional constitution, a curvedshape is provided to an absorbent article such as a sanitary napkin bywrinkling the surface sheet and the elastic material.

However, the above-mentioned conventional absorbent article has aproblem that causes an uncomfortable feeling due to a deep wrinklecaused on the surface sheet of the edge and impairs comfortableness atthe time of using the absorbent article in a curved shape, particularlywhen the surface sheet is a plastic material. Therefore, such sanitarynapkins are not completely satisfactory, and there remains a need forimprovement in fit, comfort, and containment by sanitary napkins andother absorbent articles.

The object of this invention is to provide an absorbent article whichcan enhance body fit in usage and can achieve can improvement in comfortand reduction of side leakage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides an absorbent article comprising a wearer-facing,body-contacting liquid permeable topsheet, a garment-facing liquidimpermeable backsheet, and a liquid absorbent pad there between forabsorbing a liquid exuded from the human body, characterized bycomprising an elasticized side flap along each side edge of saidabsorbent article, said side flap comprising:

a loop member having a base end with an opening positioned toward theside edge of the absorbent pad, a distal end, a garment-facing portionand a wearer-facing portion;

an inserted member which extends through said base end opening into saidloop member, and having a distal end and a base end;

an elastic material affixed along a portion of the length of saidinserted member outboard of said base end, wherein said elastic materialis not affixed to said loop member; and

a seal attaching said inserted member to said garment-facing andwearer-facing portions of said loop member at said respective base ends.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a sanitary napkin of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows an alternative sanitary napkin of the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows a cross sectional view through a lateral centerline of asanitary napkin of the present invention;

FIG. 3a shows a partial sectional view through a lateral centerline ofanother sanitary napkin of the present invention;

FIG. 3b shows a partial sectional view through a lateral centerline ofstill another sanitary napkin of the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows a partial sectional view through a lateral centerline ofyet another sanitary napkin of the present invention;

FIG. 4a shows a partial sectional view through a lateral centerline ofstill yet another sanitary napkin of the present invention;

FIG. 4b shows a partial sectional view through a lateral centerline ofanother sanitary napkin of the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows a partial sectional view through a lateral centerline ofyet another sanitary napkin of the present invention;

FIG. 5a shows a partial sectional view through a lateral centerline ofstill yet another sanitary napkin of the present invention;

FIG. 6 shows a partial sectional view through a lateral centerline of analternative sanitary napkin of the present invention;

FIG. 7 shows another alternative sanitary napkin of the presentinvention further comprising a wing along each side edge;

FIG. 8a shows a cross-sectional view through a lateral centerline of asanitary napkin of the present invention further comprising a wing alongeach side edge;

FIG. 8bshows a partial sectional view through a lateral centerline ofyet another sanitary napkin of the present invention further comprisinga wing along each side edge;

FIG. 8c shows a web of material used to form wings for use on a sanitarynapkin of the present invention;

FIG. 9a shows a partial sectional view through a lateral centerline ofstill another sanitary napkin of the present invention furthercomprising a wing along each side;

FIG. 9b shows a partial sectional view through a lateral centerline ofyet another sanitary napkin of the present invention further comprisinga wing along each side; and

FIG. 9c shows a partial sectional view through a lateral centerline ofstill another sanitary napkin of the present invention furthercomprising a wing along each side.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIG. 1, the absorbent article 1 is usually substantiallyrectangular as a whole, though the end edges can be arc portions 5,respectively. The absorbent member 4 is generally smaller than thebacksheet and is substantially rectangular, though both end edges are inthe form of an arc portion 6 which pattern after the arc portion 5 ofthe backsheet 3, and both longitudinal sides 7 of the absorbent pad 4are curved inward so that the center portion becomes slightly narrow.

FIG. 2 shows an example in which the longitudinal side 7' of anabsorbent pad 4 and the heat seal 10' of the elasticized side flap 20are formed as straight lines.

The absorbent article 1 has two centerlines: a longitudinal centerlineand a transverse centerline. The term "longitudinal", as used herein,refers to a line, axis or direction in the plane of the absorbentarticle 1 that is generally aligned with (e.g., approximately parallelto) a vertical plane which bisects a standing wearer into left and rightbody halves when the absorbent article 1 is worn. The terms "transverse"or "lateral" as used herein, are interchangeable, and refer to a line,axis or direction which lies within the plane of the absorbent article 1that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

The topsheet is generally registered to cover completely thewearer-facing surface of the absorbent pad. Preferably, the topsheetextends beyond the periphery of the absorbent pad, or wraps around thelateral edges of the absorbent pad, and is secured to the backsheet toenclose the absorbent pad.

One embodiment of an absorbent article 1 according to this invention isshown in FIG. 3. The absorbent article 1 comprises a liquid permeabletopsheet 2, a liquid impermeable backsheet 3, and a liquid absorbent pad4 for absorbing a liquid exuded from the human body positioned therebetween and having a pair of side edges 7, characterized by comprisingan elasticized side flap 20 along each side edge 7 of said absorbentpad, said side flap 20 comprising:

a loop member 21 formed from a layer which extends from and loops backtoward said side edge 7 of said absorbent pad and is selected from saidtopsheet 2 and said backsheet 3, said loop member 21 having a base end22 with an opening 23 proximate said side edge 7 of said absorbent pad,a distal end 24, a garment-facing portion 25, and a wearer-facingportion 26;

an inserted member 30 formed from a layer which extends from said sideedge 7 of said absorbent pad and is selected from said backsheet and thetopsheet, said inserted member 30 being inserted through said base endopening 23 into said loop member 21 and having a distal end 31 and abase end 32;

an elastic material 40 affixed along a portion of the length of saidinserted member 30 outboard of said base end 22 of said inserted member30, wherein said elastic material is not affixed to said loop member 21;and

a seal 10 attaching said inserted member 30 to said garment-facingportion 25 and wearer-facing portion 26 of said loop member 21 at saidbase end 22.

ELASTICIZED SIDE FLAPS

The elasticized side flap 20 is positioned along at least the centralportion of each longitudinal side edge, usually symmetrically positionedabout the lateral centerline of the article. The side flap 20 can extendto substantially the entire length of the longitudinal side edge of thearticle, though typically extends from 25%-100%, preferably 40%-60%, thelength of the longitudinal side of the article. The elasticized sideflap comprises a loop member, an inserted member, and elastic material,and a seal.

a. Loop member

The loop member 21 can be formed from either the topsheet 2 or thebacksheet 3. Preferably, the loop member 21 is formed from the topsheet2 which is more compatible with the skin. When the loop member 21 isformed from the topsheet 2, the backsheet 3 can serve as the insertedmember 30. The loop member 21 is formed by extending the layer, in thiscase the topsheet 2, beyond the edge 7 of the absorbent pad and foldingat a distal end 24 inward and back toward the edge of the absorbentcore. By "inward" folding is meant folding toward a plane oriented inthe x-y direction (or length and width) which passes through the middleof the z-direction (or height) of the absorbent core. When the topsheet(the wearer-facing layer) is the loop member layer, it is folded inwardto the garment-facing direction; when the backsheet (the garment-facinglayer) is the loop member layer, it is folded inward to thewearer-facing direction. As shown in FIG. 3, when the topsheet 2 formsthe loop member 21, it can continue to extend and cover thebacksheet-side of the absorbent article. The base end 22 of the loopmember is proximate the side edge 7 and has an opening 23 through whichthe inserted member 30 can be inserted into the inside of the loopmember 21. The width of the loop member 21 (from base end 22 to distalend 24) is generally from 10-25 mm, preferably about 15-20 mm. The baseend 22 is positioned outboard the edge 7 of the absorbent pad, generallynot more than 20 mm, preferably not more than 5 mm. Most preferably, thebase end 22 is positioned as close to the absorbent pad edge 7 aspossible, along the entire length of the side flap.

b. Inserted member

The inserted member 30 is formed by extending the backsheet 3, or thetopsheet 2 when the backsheet forms the loop member, beyond the edge 7of the absorbent pad 4, through the opening 23 and into the loop member21. The distal end 31 of the inserted member can extend to the distalend 24 of the loop member. It can also be folded or curled over insidethe loop member 21. Preferably, the portion of the inserted member 30extending beyond the base end 22 of the loop member has an effectivelength of at least 5 mm, more preferably about 10-15 mm. The distal end31 of the inserted member 30 is intended to be free of and not attachedto the loop member 21, at least along the center portion thereof.Alternatively, the topsheet or the backsheet can also serve as both theloop member and the inserted member. As shown in FIG. 3a, the topsheet 2forms the loop member 21 as herein before described, and is then foldedinward again at the fold 55 located at or near the edge 7 of theabsorbent pad. The remaining end portion of the topsheet is theninserted into the loop member. In this embodiment, the edge of thebacksheet can extend to and be secured by the side seal 10, and canoptionally be inserted into the loop member as an inserted member.Conversely, as shown in FIG. 3b, the backsheet, though it is not ascompatible with the skin of the wearer, can form both the loop memberand the inserted member. In such cases, the seal 10 is made between thedistal edge 24 and fold 55 of the folded backsheet 3.

c. Elastic member

The elastic material 40 provides the elasticity to the elasticized sideflap. The elastic material 40 is affixed along at least a portion of thelength of the inserted member 30 outboard of the base end 32. Generally,the elastic material 40 is pre-stretched prior to affixment by means 41(not shown) to the inserted member 30. When the force used to hold theelastic material in the pre-stretched state is released, the elasticmaterial contracts and tends to gather the inserted member. The seal 10secures the inserted member 30 to the loop member 21 at its base end 32,and prevents the elastic material 40 from contracting completely to itsfully relaxed position. Preferably, the elastic material 40 is affixedalong at least 25% the length of the inserted member 30, more preferablyalong 40%-60% of the inserted member. The elastic member 40 is notattached to the loop member 21. Any stiffness or wrinkling formed in theinserted member 30 as a result of the contraction of the elastic member40, or due to the elastic material 40 itself, is separated from the skinof the wearer by the loop member 21 layer, thus resulting in noreduction in comfort and skin friendliness. Because the elastic materialdoes not come in direct contact with the skin of the wearer, a broadrange of materials and elastic conditions can be used. The elasticmaterial 40 can be elastic strings, strands, or films made frommaterials including: synthetic or natural rubber, such as LYCRA,elastomeric scrim, elastomeric films (including heat shrinkableelastomeric films), elastomeric woven or non-woven webs, elastomericcomposites such as elastomeric non-woven laminates, synthetic or naturalrubber foams, and the like. A preferred elastic string is a naturalrubber commercially available under the designation 9411 produced byFulflex, R.I. The elastic material can be pre-stretched to any lengthsuitable to gather or contract the side flaps 20 to the desired shape,without causing significant adverse affect on the skin of the wearer.Generally, the elastic material can be pre-stretched from about 5% to100% (105% to 200% of the original, relaxed length), more preferablyfrom about 10% to about 30%. The elastic material can be affixed to theinserted member using an affixing means 41, such as a mechanical bond oradhesive bond. Mechanical bonds can include pressure or heat bonds thatcan bond the inserted member to the elastic. More preferably, anadhesive is used. A suitable adhesive is a hot-melt adhesive such asmarketed by Findley Adhesives, Inc., Elm Grove, Wis., as FindleyAdhesives H2085 or H2119. The inserted member 30 can be folded or curledaround the elastic material 40 to improve the attachment. Alternatively,particularly when it is a stretchable film, the elastic material 40 canbe wrapped around the distal end 31 of the inserted member 30. Theelastic material 40 is preferably affixed at least about 5 mm from thebase end 32 of the inserted member, more preferably about 10-15 mm fromthe base end. Positioning the elastic material 40 attachment away fromthe base end 32 of the inserted member provides the contracting elasticmaterial with leverage to gather the distal end of the inserted memberand to pull upward the ends of the absorbent article to conform thearticle to the shape of the wearer, and enables the elasticized sideflaps to stand upward and press against the thighs of the wearer forbetter fit and leakage protection.

d. Seal

The seal 10 of the side flap 20 is made along the base end 22 of theloop member 21. The seal 10 can be continuous or intermittent; it can bea straight line or curvilinear. Preferably a curvilinear seal is onecurved inward toward the absorbent pad and preferably having a curvatureof up to 30 degrees. Preferably the seal (and the base end of the loopmember) will conform with the shape of the side edge 7 of the absorbentpad. The length of the seal is generally at least as long as the elasticmember; preferably it is longer than the elastic means. In a typicalsanitary napkin of the present invention, the seal is from about 50-280mm, more preferably from about 100-160 mm. in length. The seal serves toanchor the inserted member 30 and allows the elastic member 40 to pullup the longitudinal ends of the absorbent pad. The seal 10 also helps toprevent leakage from the side of the absorbent pad 4. The seal 10 can bea mechanical seal or an adhesive seal. The seal must be sufficient tobond together the garment-facing portion 25 and the wearer-facingportion 26 of the loop member 21 to the inserted member 30 at theirrespective base ends. The seal 10 can be a mechanical seal or anadhesive seal. Mechanical energy seals are preferred. As used herein,"mechanical energy" includes also thermal energy such as that employedin a heat seal. Such mechanical energy can be applied preferably in theform of an ultrasonic apparatus or pinch roller, which are well knownfor such purposes. A preferred mechanical seal is a pressure bond sealwhich bonds together the thermoplastic material of the loop member 21 tothe thermoplastic material of the inserted member 30. In one suitablemethod of sealing the side flap, the assembled article is passed betweena rotating anvil roll and a rotating pressure roll which typically exertabout 1500-5000 kilograms force per square centimeter pressure on thesealing area, thereby forming a seal having a width generally from 0.5-6mm, more preferably from 2-4 mm. Preferably, a temperature below about80 degrees centigrade is used. It is most preferred to operate the anviland the pressure roll at their ambient temperature. A higher temperaturecan be used so long as it is well below the thermoplastic meltingtemperature of the layers, to avoid damaging or weakening thesematerials at such temperatures. Another preferred method of forming theseal 40 is a heat seal made by heating the rotating anvil roll and/orthe rotating pressure roll at or above the melting temperature of thethermoplastic materials of the elastic panels and chassis, and applyinga considerably lower pressure to avoid excessive damage and weakening ofthe non-woven fabric layers in the area of the attachment lines. Theseal can also be made by using an adhesive or chemical seal to bond thematerials of the loop member 21 and the inserted member 30 together.

SECONDARY NON-WOVEN SHEET

Another preferred sanitary' napkin of the present invention is furtherprovided with a secondary non-woven sheet 15 positioned between thetopsheet 2 and the absorbent member 4 as a secondary topsheet. Thelateral ends of the secondary non-woven sheet can extend beyond thelateral edges 7 of the absorbent pad, and can serve as either the loopmember 21 or as an inserted member 30. In this sanitary napkin, thetopsheet 2, backsheet 3, or the secondary non-woven sheet 15 can be theloop member 21 layer; or a combination of these layers can be broughttogether to form the loop member. Preferably a layer not used to formthe loop member 21 is used as an inserted member 30. In FIG. 4, the loopmember 21 is formed by the topsheet 2 and the inserted member 30 isformed by the secondary non-woven sheet 15 and the backsheet 3. Theelastic material 40 is attached to both inserted members. Alternatively,the backsheet 3 only or the secondary non-woven sheet 15 only can beused as the inserted member 30. In FIG. 4a the loop member is formed bythe secondary non-woven sheet 15, and the backsheet is extended to formthe inserted member 30. The topsheet 2 extends to and is secured alongits side edge by the side seal 10. Alternatively as shown in FIG. 4b,the side edges of the topsheet can extend beyond the side seal to atleast partially cover the loop member 21.

In another embodiment, the loop member can be formed by the backsheet 3,and the secondary non-woven sheet can be extended to form the insertedmember. As in the previous embodiments, the topsheet 2 can extend to andbe secured along its side edge by the side seal 10, or can be furtherextended beyond side seal 10 to cover a portion of the wearer-facingportion 26 of the loop member. The topsheet can instead be inserted intothe loop member as a second inserted member.

In another sanitary napkin of the present invention, the absorbentarticle 1 has a topsheet 2 having a central portion and a side portionon each lateral side of the central portion, and a non-woven outer sheet11 positioned on the wearer-facing surface along each side portion ofsaid topsheet. The non-woven outer sheet 11 can be bonded, preferablywith a mechanical seal (pressure or heat seal), continuously or indiscrete areas, to the topsheet layer to secure its edges from rollingand tearing. The non-woven outer sheet 11 is preferably a soft,comfortable, skin-friendly non-woven fabric, which preferably forms theloop member 21 of the side flap. In this sanitary napkin, the topsheet2, backsheet 3, or the non-woven outer sheet 11, or a combination ofthese, can form the loop member 21 layer. As shown in FIG. 5, thenon-woven outer sheet 11 also loops back under the topsheet 2 to formthe secondary non-woven sheet 15. The topsheet 2 forms the insertedmember 30. The backsheet extends beyond the edge of the absorbent padand is secured to the garment-facing surface 25 of the loop member byseal 10. In another preferred sanitary napkin shown in FIG. 5a, thenon-woven outer sheet 11 forms the loop member 21 and then can extend tocover a portion of the garment-facing surface of the backsheet. In FIG.5a, the backsheet 3 and the topsheet 2 form the inserted members 30;alternatively, the backsheet 3 and the topsheet 2 alone can forminserted member 30.

FIG. 6 shows another sanitary napkin of the present invention where theinserted member 30 is a separate, distinct layer from any topsheet,backsheet, or other layer that can extend from the side edge 7 of theabsorbent pad. In this embodiment, the elastic member can be integralwith the inserted member, preferably with the elastic member positionedoutboard of the base end 32 of the inserted member.

The use of the non-woven outer sheet 11 or the secondary non-woven sheet15 to form the loop member reduces the amount of topsheet, which istypically a more expensive component, and hence reduces the productioncost. Another benefit of the non-woven sheets is an improvement incomfort and skin friendliness.

The secondary non-woven sheet 15 and the non-woven outer sheet 11preferably comprises a non-woven fabric for comfort and skin-feel.Non-woven webs can be made from natural fibers (e.g., wood or cottonfibers), synthetic fibers (e.g., polyester or polypropylene fibers), ora combination of natural and synthetic fibers. Preferably, the non-wovenfabric is made of a hydrophilic or a surfactant-treated hydrophobicmaterial. A preferred non-woven fabric is an air-through non wovensupplied by Fukumura Seishi Kabushiki Kaisha. This non-woven comprises:a first layer which comprises about 50% w/w polyethylene (PE) and about50% w/w polypropylene (PP) fibers having a denier of about 2, the fibershaving a core made of polypropylene and a outer sheath surrounding thecore made of polyethylene; and a second layer which comprises 50% w/wpolyethylene (PE) and about 50% w/w polyester (PET) fibers having adenier of about 2, the fibers having a core made of polyester and aouter sheath surrounding the core made of polyethylene. The above fibersused in the first and second layers are known in the art as a"bi-component fiber". The sheet can be oriented with either layer facingthe wearer.

ABSORBENT PAD

The absorbent pad 4 is any absorbent means which is capable of absorbingor retaining liquids (e.g., menses and/or urine). As discussed above,the absorbent core 4 can be manufactured in a wide variety of sizes andshapes (e.g., rectangular, oval, hourglass, dog bone, asymmetric, etc.)and from a wide variety of liquid-absorbent materials commonly used inabsorbent napkins and other absorbent articles such as comminuted woodpulp which is generally referred to as airfelt. Examples of othersuitable absorbent materials include creped cellulose wadding; meltblownpolymers including coform; chemically stiffened, modified orcross-linked cellulosic fibers; synthetic fibers such as crimpedpolyester fibers; peat moss; tissue including tissue wraps and tissuelaminates; absorbent foams; absorbent sponges; superabsorbent polymers;absorbent gelling materials; or any equivalent material or combinationsof materials, or mixtures of these. The configuration and constructionof the absorbent core can also be varied (e.g., the absorbent core canhave varying caliper zones (e.g., profiled so as to be thicker in thecenter), hydrophilic gradients, superabsorbent gradients, or lowerdensity and lower average basis weight acquisition zones; or cancomprise one or more layers or structures). The total absorbent capacityof the absorbent core should, however, be compatible with the designloading and the intended use of the absorbent article. Further, the sizeand absorbent capacity of the absorbent core can be varied toaccommodate different uses such as incontinence pads, pantiliners,regular sanitary napkins, or overnight sanitary napkins.

Exemplary absorbent structures for use as the absorbent core of thepresent invention are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,264 entitled"Thin, Flexible Sanitary Napkin" issued to Osborn on Aug. 21, 1990; U.S.Pat. No. 4,610,678 entitled "High-Density Absorbent Structures" issuedto Weisman et al. on Sep. 9, 1986; U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,735 entitled"High Density Absorbent Members Having Lower Density and Lower BasisWeight Acquisition Zones", issued to Alemany et al. on May 30, 1989; andEuropean Patent Application No. 0 198 683, The Procter & Gamble Company,published Oct. 22, 1986 in the name of Duenk, et al. Each of thesepatents are incorporated herein by reference.

In a preferred sanitary napkin of the present invention, an acquisitionlayer(s) can be positioned between the topsheet and the absorbent core.The acquisition layer can serve several functions including improvingwicking of exudates over and into the absorbent core. There are severalreasons why the improved wicking of exudates is important, includingproviding a more even distribution of the exudates throughout theabsorbent core and allowing the sanitary napkin 1 to be made relativelythin. The wicking referred to herein can encompass the transportation ofliquids in one, two or all directions (i.e, in the x-y plane and/or inthe z-direction). The acquisition layer can be comprised of severaldifferent materials including non-woven or woven webs of syntheticfibers including polyester, polypropylene, or polyethylene; naturalfibers including cotton or cellulose; blends of such fibers; or anyequivalent materials or combinations of materials. Examples of sanitarynapkins having an acquisition layer and a topsheet are more fullydescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,264 issued to Osborn and U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 07/810,774, "Absorbent Article Having FusedLayers", filed Dec. 17, 1991 in the names of Cree, et al. Each of thesereferences are incorporated herein by reference. In a preferredembodiment, the acquisition layer can be joined with the topsheet by anyof the conventional means for joining webs together, most preferably byfusion bonds as is more fully described in the above-referenced Creeapplication.

In another preferred sanitary napkin of the present invention, a wickingor fluid distribution strip (not shown) can be positioned between thetopsheet and the absorbent core. The wicking strip provides permeabilityand diffusivity of the bodily liquids into and along the longitudinallength of the absorbent core. Preferred wicking strips are melt-blown orspun-bond non-wovens, and provide enhanced fluid distribution in thelongitudinal direction of the absorbent article. A particularlypreferred wicking strip comprises a series of longitudinally-orientedembossments or compressments, or both, in the non-woven wicking strip,as described in co-pending Japanese Patent Application No. 294665/1991,filed Nov. 11, 1991 (Procter & Gamble Far East Inc.). The longitudinalend edge portion 5 of the absorbent article 1 is typically formed byjoining together the topsheet 2 and the backsheet 3, as well as anyadditional non-woven fabric layer 15, with a suitable seal 8, preferablya heat seal.

The backsheet 3 and topsheet 2, and any additional non-woven fabriclayer 15 as applicable, can be secured to the absorbent core 4 byattachment means (not shown) such as those well known in the art. Forexample, the backsheet 3 and/or the topsheet 2 can be attached to eachother by a uniform continuous layer of adhesive, a patterned layer ofadhesive, or an array of separate lines, spirals, or spots of adhesive.Adhesives which have been found to be satisfactory are manufactured byH. B. Fuller Company of St. Paul, Minn. under the designation HL-1258 orH2031. The attachment means will preferably comprise an open patternnetwork of filaments of adhesive as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.4,573,986 entitled "Disposable Waste-Containment Garment", which issuedto Minetola, et al. on Mar. 4, 1986, and which is incorporated herein byreference. An exemplary attachment means of an open pattern network offilaments comprises several lines of adhesive filaments swirled into aspiral pattern such as illustrated by the apparatus and method shown inU.S. Pat. No. 3,911,173 issued to Sprague, Jr. on Oct. 7, 1975; U.S.Pat. No. 4,785,996 issued to Zieker, et al. on Nov. 22, 1978; and U.S.Patent No. 4,842,666 issued to Werenicz on Jun. 27, 1989. Each of thesepatents are incorporated herein by reference. Alternatively, theattachment means can comprise heat bonds, pressure bonds, ultrasonicbonds, dynamic mechanical bonds, or any other suitable attachment meansor combinations of these attachment means as are known in the art.

TOPSHEET

The topsheet 2 is compliant, soft feeling, and non-irritating to thewearer's skin, Further, the topsheet 2 is liquid pervious permittingliquids (e.g., menses and/or urine) to readily penetrate through itsthickness. A suitable topsheet 2 can be manufactured from a wide rangeof materials such as woven and non-woven materials; polymeric materialssuch as apertured formed thermoplastic films, apertured plastic films,and hydroformed thermoplastic films; porous foams; reticulated foams;reticulated thermoplastic films; and thermoplastic scrims. Suitablewoven and non-woven materials can be comprised of natural fibers (e.g.,wood or cotton fibers), synthetic fibers (e.g., polymeric fibers such aspolyester, polypropylene, or polyethylene fibers) or from a combinationof natural and synthetic fibers. A preferred topsheet comprises anapertured formed film. Apertured formed films are preferred for thetopsheet because they are pervious to body exudates and yetnon-absorbent and have a reduced tendency to allow liquids to pass backthrough and re-wet the wearer's skin. Thus, the surface of the formedfilm which is in contact with the body remains dry, thereby reducingbody soiling and creating a more comfortable feel for the wearer.Suitable formed films are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,135, entitled"Absorptive Structures Having Tapered Capillaries", which issued toThompson on Dec. 30, 1975; U.S. Pat. No. 4,324,246 entitled "DisposableAbsorbent Article Having A Stain Resistant Topsheet", which issued toMullane, et al. on Apr. 13, 1982; U.S. Pat. No. 4,342,314 entitled"Resilient Plastic Web Exhibiting Fiber-Like Properties", which issuedto Radel. et al. on Aug. 3, 1982; U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,045 entitled"Macroscopically Expanded Three-Dimensional Plastic Web ExhibitingNon-Glossy Visible Surface and Cloth-Like Tactile Impression", whichissued to Ahr et al. on Jul. 31, 1984; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,006,394"Multilayer Polymeric Film" issued to Baird on Apr. 9, 1991. Each ofthese patents are incorporated herein by reference. The preferredtopsheet for the present invention is the formed film described in oneor more of the above patents and marketed on sanitary napkins by TheProcter & Gamble Company of Cincinnati, OH as "DRI-WEAVE".

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the body surface ofthe formed film topsheet is hydrophilic so as to help liquid to transferthrough the topsheet faster than if the body surface was not hydrophilicso as to diminish the likelihood that menstrual fluid will flow off thetopsheet rather than flowing into and being absorbed by the absorbentcore. In a preferred embodiment, surfactant is incorporated into thepolymeric materials of the formed film topsheet such as is described inU.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/794,745, "Absorbent Article Having ANonwoven and Apertured Film Coversheet" filed on Nov. 19, 1991 by Aziz,et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. Alternatively, thebody surface of the topsheet can be made hydrophilic by treating it witha surfactant such as is described in the above referenced U.S. Pat. No.4,950,254 issued to Osborn, incorporated herein by reference.

BACKSHEET

The backsheet 3 is impervious to liquids (e.g., menses and/or urine) andis preferably manufactured from a thin plastic film, although otherflexible liquid impervious materials can also be used. As used herein,the term "flexible" refers to materials which are compliant and willreadily conform to the general shape and contours of the human body. Thebacksheet 3 prevents the exudates absorbed and contained in theabsorbent core 4 from wetting articles which contact the sanitary napkinsuch as pants, pajamas and undergarments. The backsheet 3 can thuscomprise a woven or non-woven material, polymeric films such asthermoplastic films of polyethylene or polypropylene, or compositematerials such as a film-coated non-woven material. Preferably, thebacksheet is a polyethylene film having a thickness of from about 0.012mm (0.5 mil) to about 0.051 mm (2.0 mils). Exemplary polyethylene filmsare manufactured by Clopay Corporation of Cincinnati, OH, under thedesignation P18-0401 and by Ethyl Corporation, Visqueen Division, ofTerre Haute, Ind, under the designation XP-39385. The backsheet ispreferably embossed and/or matte finished to provide a more cloth-likeappearance. Further, the backsheet 3 can permit vapors to escape fromthe absorbent core 4 (i.e., breathable) while still preventing exudatesfrom passing through the backsheet 3.

In use, the sanitary napkin 1 can be held in place by any support meansor attachment means (not shown) well-known for such purposes.Preferably, the sanitary napkin is placed in the user's undergarment orpanty and secured thereto by a fastener such as an adhesive 13. Theadhesive 13 provides a means for securing the sanitary napkin in thecrotch portion of the panty. Thus, a portion or all of thegarment-facing surface of the absorbent article 1 is coated withadhesive. Any adhesive or glue used in the art for such purposes can beused for the adhesive herein, with pressure-sensitive adhesives beingpreferred. Suitable adhesives are Century A-305-1V manufactured by theCentury Adhesives Corporation of Columbus, OH; and Instant Lock 34-2823manufactured by the National Starch and Chemical Company of Bridgewater,NJ. Suitable adhesive fasteners are also described in U.S. Pat. No.4,917,697. Before the sanitary napkin is placed in use, thepressure-sensitive adhesive is typically covered with a removablerelease liner 14 in order to keep the adhesive from drying out oradhering to a surface other than the crotch portion of the panty priorto use. Suitable release liners are also described in theabove-referenced U.S. Patent No. 4,917,697. Any commercially availablerelease liners commonly used for such purposes can be utilized herein.Non-limiting examples of suitable release liners are BL30MG-A Silox E1/0and BL30MG-A Silox 4P/O both of which are manufactured by the AkrosilCorporation of Menasha, WI. The sanitary napkin 1 of the presentinvention is used by removing the release liner and thereafter placingthe sanitary napkin in a panty so that the adhesive contacts the panty.The adhesive 13 assists in maintaining the sanitary napkin in itsposition within the panty during use.

WINGS

A sanitary napkin of the present invention optionally has a wing orextending flap 50 which is adjacent to and extending laterally from aline of juncture 51 located along each side edge of the absorbent core.An example of such sanitary napkin of the present invention having wingsis shown in FIG. 7. The wings 50 are configured to drape over the edgesof the wearer's panties in the crotch region so that the wings 50 lo aredisposed between the edges of the wearer's panties and the wearer'sthighs. The wings 50 serve at least two purposes. First, the wings helpto prevent soiling of the wearer's body and panty by menstrual fluid,preferably by forming a double wall barrier along the edges of thepanty. In combination with the elasticized side flap, which also forms abarrier between the absorbent pad and the skin and panty of the wearer,the sanitary napkin of the present invention provides excellentprotection against soiling of the wearer's body and panty. Second, thewings are preferably provided with attachment means 60 on their garmentsurface so that the wings can be folded back under the panty andattached to the garment facing side of the panty. Typically, attachmentmeans 60 comprises a panty adhesive 61 and a release film 62 asdescribed herein before. In this way, the wings serve to keep thesanitary napkin properly positioned in the panty.

The wings 50 can be constructed of various materials including materialssimilar to the topsheet 2, backsheet 3, or a laminate of thesematerials. Further, the wings can be a separate element attached to themain body of the napkin, or can comprise extensions of the topsheet 2and backsheet 3 (i.e., unitary). A number of sanitary napkins havingwings suitable or adaptable for use with the sanitary napkins of thepresent invention are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,478 entitled"Shaped Sanitary Napkin With Flaps", which issued to Van Tilburg on Aug.18, 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,876 entitled "Sanitary Napkin", whichissued to Van Tilburg on May 20, 1986; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,047,entitled "Sanitary Napkin Attachment Means", which issued to Mattinglyon Aug. 26, 1986. Each of these patents are incorporated herein byreference.

It is most preferred that the attachment of the wing occur along line ofjuncture 51 which is inboard of (closer to the longitudinal centerlinethan) side seal 10. This enables the wing 50 and the side flap 20 tofunction independently.

The wing 50 can comprise one or more discrete fabric layers fastened orlaminated together, for example by adhesive or mechanical bonding. Forskin compatibility reasons, it is preferred that the wing comprise anon-woven or other material suitable for use as a topsheet on thatsurface which faces or contacts the skin of the wearer.

FIG. 8a is a cross-sectional view of the sanitary napkin of FIG. 7. Eachwing 50 is a separate member attached on the garment-facing side of thenapkin. The wings 50 are preferably cut from a single web of materialprior to attachment to the main body portion 8. As shown in FIG. 8c, theweb of material 100 need only be as wide as the lateral width of oneflap (or only slightly wider than the width of a flap). The edges of theweb of material oriented in the machine direction can be trimmed to thedesired curvature for the proximal edges of the flaps. After the edgesare trimmed, the edges 55 of the flaps can be formed by cutting the webalong a sinusoidal path. The sinusoidal cutting path can have anamplitude that extends from one edge of the web to the other. Thesinusoidal cutting path forms flap pieces which are "nested" with eachother. The cutting path can, thus, simultaneously form the edges of twodifferent flaps.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 8b, the two wings can be combined into asingle wing member 53 which is attached to the garment-facing surface ofthe absorbent article using a mechanical or adhesive bonding asdescribed herein before. The panty fastening adhesive 13 and releaseliner 14 are then affixed to the single wing member 53.

A preferred sanitary napkin extends the fabric layers used to form theelasticized side flap 20 to also form a portion of the wing 50. The loopmember 21 and the inserted member 30 can continue to the garment-facingsurface of the article to form wing 50. Since the topsheet, backsheet,secondary non-woven sheet and nonwoven outer sheet can form individuallyor in combination, either the loop member 21 or the inserted member 30,there are numerous possible embodiments of this sanitary napkin.

In FIG. 9a, topsheet 2 extends beyond the edge of the absorbent pad toform the loop member 21. A secondary non-woven sheet 15 and thebacksheet 3 form inserted members 30. The garment-facing portion 25 ofthe loop member extends beyond seal 10 and then folds outward again atfold 63 to form a folded portion 64. The layers of the folded portion 64outboard of fold 63 are attached together with seal 65 using amechanical or adhesive bond, forming line of juncture 51. Preferably theline of juncture 51 is formed inboard of side seal 10. The foldedportion 64 extends beyond the line of juncture 51 to form the wingportion 50a of the wing 50. A second wing material 53 is laminated tothe topsheet-formed wing portion 50a and to the garment-facing portionof the absorbent article, and forms wing portion 50 b.

In FIG. 9b, secondary non-woven layer 15 forms loop member 21. Thegarment-facing portion 25 of loop member 21 then extends back beyondseal 10. Backsheet 3 extends beyond the edge of the absorbent pad andfolds outwardly to form an inserted member loop 30'. The distal end ofthe inserted member loop 30' is inserted into loop member 21, andelastic 40 is attached inside the inserted member loop 30'. Thegarment-facing portion of the inserted member loop 30' extends beyondseal 10. The garment-facing portions of the inserted member loop 30' andthe loop member 21 then fold outward again at fold 63 to form a foldedportion 64. Seal 65 secures the layers of the folded portion 64 outboardof fold 63, forming the line of juncture 51. The folded portion 64extends beyond the line of juncture 51 to form wing 50.

Another preferred sanitary napkin is shown in FIGS. 9c. Non-woven outersheet 11 forms loop member 21. The garment-facing surface of loop member21 then extends beyond seal 10. Secondary non-woven layer 15 formsinserted member 30. Topsheet 2 is secured along its longitudinal edge byseal 10. Backsheet 3 extends beyond the edge of the absorbent pad andfolds outwardly, at or just beyond side seal 10, back toward the centerof the article. The extended backsheet layer and the garment-facingportion of the loop member 21 then fold outward again at fold 63 to forma folded portion 64. Seal 65 secures the layers of the folded portion 64outboard of fold 63, forming the line of juncture 51. The folded portion64 extends beyond the line of juncture 51 to form wing 50.

The wing 50 of the sanitary napkin can have zones of differentialextensibility (not shown) for relieving the stresses that develop in thewings when the wings are folded down along the edges of the wearer'spanties in the crotch. The wings are divided into a front half and aback half by a wing transverse centerline. The absorbent article has twocorner regions (not shown) located adjacent the area of the ends of thejunctures 51. One corner region is located adjacent the area of thejuncture in each direction remote from the principal transversecenterline. The sanitary napkin comprises zones of differentialextensibility which allow the corner regions to extend transverselyoutward to a greater degree than the portions of the sanitary napkinlocated along the wing transverse centerline. The zones of differentialextensibility provide a means for the relief of stresses in the wings ofthe sanitary napkin when the sanitary napkin is placed in the wearer'sundergarments. The zone of differential extensibility can be provided bya number of means, including stretching of the material, by pleating orfolding of the fabric, or joined along a curved juncture. Preferably theline of juncture is curved inward toward the principle longitudinalcenterline, whereby excess flap material is present in the cornerregions when the wings is folded outward. Sanitary napkins comprisingsuch zones of differential extensibility are disclosed in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 07/769891, Lavash et al., entitled "AbsorbentArticle Having Flaps and Zones of Differential Extensibility", filedOct. 1, 1991.

As clearly seen from the above illustration, according to thisinvention, a sanitary napkin is provided comprising a loop member whichstands up and helps the article to form a curved shape, therebyimproving fit, comfort, and reducing the risk of side leakage. Theelastic material is attached to the inserted member but is is notattached directly to the loop member. Any stiffness or wrinkling formedin the inserted member as a result of the contraction of the elasticmember, or due to the elastic member itself, is separated from the skinof the wearer by the loop member layer, thus resulting in no reductionin comfort and skin friendliness. Because the elastic material does notcome in direct contact with the skin of the wearer, a broad range ofmaterials and elastic conditions can be used.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have beenillustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in theart that various other changes and modifications can be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore theappended claims are intended to cover all such changes and modificationsthat are within the scope of this invention.

I claim:
 1. A sanitary napkin for placement in a user's panty, thesanitary napkin comprising:a main body portion comprising:a liquidpermeable topsheet; a liquid impermeable backsheet joined with saidtopsheet; an absorbent pad for absorbing liquids positioned between saidtopsheet and said backsheet, said absorbent pad having a pair of sideedges; and an elasticized side flap extending laterally outwardly fromand along each said side edge of said absorbent pad, each said side flapcomprising a member having a base end and a distal end extendinglaterally outwardly from said base end and an elastic material affixedalong a portion of the length of said member laterally outboard of saidbase end; and a pair of wings attached to said main body portion andconfigured to be positioned over the edge of the user's panty.
 2. Thesanitary napkin of claim 1 wherein each said wing extends laterallyoutwardly beyond said distal end of said member so that said wing isfolded back over the edge of the user's panty.
 3. The sanitary napkin ofclaim 2 wherein said wings are configured to form a double-wall barrieralong the edge of the panty.
 4. The sanitary napkin of claim 3 whereineach said wing is unattached to each respective said elasticized sideflap such that said wing and said side flap function independently. 5.The sanitary napkin of claim 1 wherein each said wing comprises aseparate element joined to said main body portion of the sanitarynapkin.
 6. The sanitary napkin of claim 1 wherein said wing additionallycomprises a flap attachment member for joining said wing to the user'spanty.
 7. The sanitary napkin of claim 1 wherein each said wing is aunitary with said main body portion.
 8. A sanitary napkin for placementin a user's panty, the sanitary napkin comprising:a main body portioncomprising:a liquid permeable topsheet; a liquid impermeable backsheetjoined with said topsheet; an absorbent pad for absorbing liquidspositioned between said topsheet and said backsheet, said absorbent padhaving a pair of side edges; and an elasticized side flap extendinglaterally outwardly from and along each said side edge of said absorbentpad, each said side flap comprising:a loop member extending laterallyoutwardly from and looping laterally inwardly back toward said side edgeof said absorbent pad, said loop member having a first base endapproximate said side edge of said absorbent pad, a second base endapproximate said side edge of said absorbent pad, an opening betweensaid first base end and said second base end, a distal end positionedlaterally outward from said first base end and said second base end, agarment-facing portion, and a wearer-facing portion; an insert memberextending into opening in said loop member, said insert member having abase end positioned between said first base end and said second base endin said opening, and a distal end extending laterally outward from saidbase end; an elastic material affixed along a portion of the length ofsaid insert member laterally outboard of said base end, wherein saidelastic material is not affixed to said loop member; and a sealpositioned laterally inwardly from said elastic material for attachingsaid insert member, said garment-facing portion, and said wearer-facingportion, together adjacent said base end of said insert member; and awing attached to said main body portion on each side of the sanitarynapkin, each said wing being configured to be positioned over the edgeof the user's panty.
 9. The sanitary napkin of claim 8 wherein each saidwing is a separate material joined to said main body portion.
 10. Thesanitary napkin of claim 8 wherein each said loop member comprises saidtopsheet, and each said insert member comprises said backsheet.
 11. Thesanitary napkin of claim 8 wherein said wings are unitary with anelement of said main body portion.
 12. The sanitary napkin of claim 11wherein each said wing is formed by said topsheet.
 13. The sanitarynapkin of claim 11 wherein each said wing is formed by said backsheet.14. The sanitary napkin of claim 11 wherein each said wing is formed bysaid topsheet and said backsheet.
 15. The sanitary napkin of claim 8wherein each said wing is attached to said main body portion laterallyinwardly of said seal and is unattached to said elasticized side flap.16. The sanitary napkin of claim 15 wherein each said wing extendslaterally outwardly beyond said seal so that said wing is folded backover the edge of the user's panty.
 17. The sanitary napkin of claim 16wherein each said wing is configured to provide a double-wall barrier atthe edge of the user's panty.
 18. The sanitary napkin of claim 8additionally comprising a secondary nonwoven sheet positioned betweensaid topsheet and said absorbent pad.
 19. The sanitary napkin of claim18 wherein each said loop member comprises said secondary nonwoven sheetand each said insert member comprises said backsheet.
 20. The sanitarynapkin of claim 18 wherein each said wing is formed by said secondarynonwoven sheet and said backsheet.
 21. The sanitary napkin of claim 18wherein said secondary nonwoven sheet forms said insert member and saidtopsheet forms said loop member.
 22. The sanitary napkin of claim 18wherein each said wing comprises said topsheet and each said insertmember comprises said backsheet.